Corn silker



H. R. LEWIS April 18, 1933.

CORN S ILKER Filed Aug. 14, 1929 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 April'18, 1933. H. LEWIS 1 ,9Q 4

CORN SILKER Filed Aug. 14, 1929 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 H. R. LEWIS CORN SILKER April 18, 1933. 1,904,740

Filed Aug. 14, 1929 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 lumugw mu A April 18, 1933. H, R LEWIS 1,904,740

CORN S ILKER Filed Aug. 14, 1929 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 H. R. LEWIS CORN S ILKER April 18, 1933.

Filed Aug. 14, 1929 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 Patented Apr. 18, 1933 UNITED- STATES HAROLD R. LEWIS, or noornsroiv; ILLINOIS; ASSIGNOR'TO SPRAGUEESELLS comm-- RATION, or HOOPESTON, rumors i 001m SILKER.

Application filed- August 14, 1929. serial No. ssaseo.

This invention relates to an improvedmachine for treatlng green corn for canning purposes and is particularly adapted to removing silks, pieces of cob and husks as well as other dbris intermixed with the cut'c'orn as it is carried from the cutting machinesto this apparatus. 1

v To make the canning of green corn commercially possible and practicalitflis necessary to handle large quantities quickly and easily by automatic mechanism that will give it the proper treatments in the various stages of operation connected with the process of preparation.

. The cars of green corn as brought from the field carry more or less of undesirable mate rial adhering thereto that is usually removed by the husking operation. The husking ma- I chines remove practically. all of the husks and very much of the adhering silk; some small particles, howevergare'not removed at usually in a horizontal direction ,while'the this stage and accompany the ears to the cutting machines where the kernels are auto matically cut from the cobs and wherein thecobs are discharged from the machine,

cut kernels fall by gravity into and through a hopper which usually conveys, them to other mechanism for-treatment, or'delivers them to conveying means that in turn delivers the cutkernels to the next operating or treating means. s

.ThlS mass of cut kernels carrles w th it more or less of small pieces of silk; small 1 pieces of cob and husk that escaped the'husking machine and were detached when the kernels were cut fromthe'cobs. Itisjneces:

sary to treat this mass ofmaterial by some means whereby the silk, pieces of cob and husks and any other undesirable particles; will be separated and removed from theke'r-fnels of cut corn.

Sometimes the mixed mass of material is run OVBIFVIbIatIIIg screens through which the kernels will f'pass but which will intercept the silks, and husks and pieces of cobs and thus produce a separation; The pieces of cobs are quite easily gotten rid of because they will roll and are easily discharged from the endsof the screens; The

small husks and'm'lks, however; are not so easily handled. They soon'accumulateon' PATENT mm T the screen in sufficient quantitiesto greatlyinterfere with the screening action andthe provided @with stationary wires stretched across the pathof falling kernels with the ideajof the silks and husks becoming entangled therewith and prevented from following'the cornjand thus be separated there: from. These machines give muchbetter "re sults, buthere the wires soon become loaded with silks and small pieces of husks and mustbe periodically cleaned .in order to be continuously effective. 1 T

"The cleaning ofthe wires dependson the operator manipulating some device for scraping the "debris therefrom and on the fre'-; quency with which he performs thecleaning act" depends more .orilessthe efliciency of the cleaning operation. If the wiresjare" not cleaned often enough the silks accumulate until they do not adhere firmly and beginto drop ofl' with the passing kernels. The wires are usually placed linsuperposedrelation in severalbanks or planes and are staggered relative to each other so therewill bejno free passage for the falling kernels, the'kernelsf are therefore bumping from wire to wirein" j their passage and of course bump against the] adhering silk so that when ithas accumulated .8 so that it is not firmly held the kernels knock;

off more or less of it and thus degrade the corn that finally goesinto thecan. The dependence on an operator to clean the wires,

frequently enoughto keep the corn clean is O;

in no wise a reliable procedure, so rong there -1s a human elementconnected wlth' an; I

operation of this kind just so longwill there uniformly accurate: and de i V 1 FY9 The, apparatus disclosed in this application be other than sired results.

hasbeen developed to overcoinethe defects of operation enumerated as well as to gener-il ally improve, and better the cleaning o f the cut corndpreparatory to canning and eoni- Y 5. Describing fmy improved corn.

prises means and mechanism for accomplishing these results that are entirely automatic 7 in their operation and therefore thoroughly reliable and'highly efficient. corn cleaning machine briefly it comprises a feed hopper where the mass of cut corn and accompany- ,ing dbrisis dumped promiscuously and fed intofa-"revolving screen member. where. the

.1 larger pieces of cob and husks worl'r; their way through the discharge end and are thus quickly separated. The cut kernels ofecorn I pass through, the screen-openings and drop onto a traveling silking' device comprising i i a large number of horizontally disposed wires closely arranged side by sideand. mounted on a-traveling 'conveyor tha-t is driven and guided in a manner vto "cause thie series of fwiresto traverseappath leading over four V Q superposed"planes theliwires in each-plane;

v traveling in the opposite'direction'from those on either side so that there'is a constant crossg ing ofthe wires in vertical planes. The-cut H kernels leaving. the rotaryscreen drop V gravity onto the top run of .moving.Wires;

pass therethrough and contact withthe Wires in the nextand lower run and from there pass j -to the wires iHthHIlGXtlOWGi' run and from I V i there through the wires ofthe last or lowest.

0 runso thatthey have been intercepted in i their 'drop-byfour; sets of wires moving at approximately right angles tothe. path of the/falling corn, which has causedeach ker-a nel to bumpfagainst the wires in its passage as well as all other'material' miiz'e'dwiththe corn such 'as small pieces-of silkla 'nd husk; The silk and huskbeing of a stringynature' 'wrap around the wires and alre trapped.

; againStQfOllQwing theco'rn and/gradually: 7 Qr raccumulate on thep-WiresL and are earriedj laterally-away from the path of-thedropping I application 'to Qthfe particularconstruction,

: At .the in bi the last ,riin 'of 'w res ther is placed a revolving'cleaning brushfthat 1' runs continuouslyin 'contactwith the wire conveyor, and acts to clean all adheringsillrs fand husks therefrom, so that the severalfr insf improved unitary "apparatus' witlig portions of theiwire conveyor. are kept in a constant I state] of "cleanliness so that'at no time will "[5 1 there bean over'accumulation of silks and f husks adhering ,to

. the'individual i f he'co'nveyor. 7

, Togive'added screening action r i 3 lgernelsfl after. passing 7 the. moving W 119$ rejf ntercepted by vibratory screening members? which 'will catch any silks or liusks that ,es- Jc'aped th e iiiovi'ng Wires and givea, practi- These lastlmentioned screening member's areniounted to give-"a shal ringias well' 'as {a} enumerated.

It is therefore'an object of the invention to y provide a preliminary screening operation 7 to remove frornthe mass of mater al all large objects "of undesirable material. 7

It isalsoan -obje'ct of the invention to provide a silkin'g and cleaning operation wherein 7 .mov ng .meansare made to ntercept thekernels offallingborn and entrap the accom panying silks and huslis. 'It is also an object of vide automaticallyoperated means for con' tinu o'u'sly and constantly removing the entrapped silks =and .husks from the moving wires constituting the for entrapping the silks 'and husksl:

i It is also anfobject of the inventionto p o vide final screening and cl'eaningzmeans' for removing the last fvestige of silksand husks' fromthe mass otcorn.- J I It is also'an object to provide a'unitary apparatus forjv carrying the aforesaid v means and mechanism and power means'for; driving and moving the various operative parts in the invention to proproper synchronism" to produce the results i 7 With such objectsiinvieivias well as other 7 advantages which may .beinherent inthe. invention', consisting inthe parts and combinations hereinafter set forth and claimed, it

is understood that the-several'necessary'e1e-' merits, parts and combinations constituting the same may be varied in their proportions, placement and general arrangement Without departing from thgasqipe andnature of the invention, and in orderto make the invention y more clearlyi understood' thereisshown, in i he acc mp yin awi gs p 'f d' bodimentof thefinvent'ion concrete form,

without limiting the improvements in. their chosen to illustrate the'invention; v v

Reference may 'n'owfbe' had to, the ac conipanying drawings where abetter understand? ing. of the invention willfbe had. f

o o ice,

qFigilre 1 represents aisidefclevation'of my broken away to show interior construction;

for moving the various parts in proper rela 5 fFigure' Q'is a sect nalielevation taken on approximately ,thelinef2f2 of Fig. lljand i ShQWS, ,pfortion of the receiving hopper the V feed'screw an'd the en'd of the squareprelimii V nary screen member;

fFigi-3 is afdetail' a portion of the v member of Fig. 21sjhowingtherigidrame f construction.

Fig. 4 is a further detail of-and edge and corner of the screen member'of-Fig'. 3 showing clearly the manner of securing the screening wire to the frame.

Fig. is'a plantaken on approximately the irregular line '55 of Fig.1 ands'hows the top of the left end of Fig: 1, of the moving wire silking device; which is then broken.

-:, conveyor and the final screens of Fig. 1.

Fig. 8 is a detail ofthe prel'minary; screening member. 1 is ig. 9 is a side elevation of the silking conveyor and Lthecle'aning brush.

Fig. is a side elevation 0 ing members and plainly shows the mounting and drive means'therefor.

*ig. 11 is a detail ofone of the conveyor chains showing the mannerof mounting the silking wires thereto. I a

The numeral 1 represents a cast frame work for sustaining the entire apparatus and driving mechanism and thus converting it into a complete unitary device. I 1 2and 3 are frame extensions at either end forming supports lfor'the and the preliminary screening member 4..

Y 5 representsside shield plates 'to catch any 5 screen.

ing with a companion gear 7 pivotal support for the preg i their reception by the angleplates 43. These material thrown out by the preliminary 6 is a main across the right end 'ofthe machine of Fig. 1. On this shaft ismounted a drive pulley 7 carrying a clutch 8 and an operating cone 9. the lever being omitted. Above the main shaft 6 and carried are two other shafts 1O and 'll.

A pinion 12 on shaft 6=meshes w1tha"gear' 13 on shaft 11 and a pinion-14 on shaftll meshes-with a gear 15 on shaft 10, thus formtrain by which-the said shafts. are operated in timed relation. The shaft 11' ing a gear carries a-sprocket 16, connecting by achain 17 'witha sprocket'l8 onthe shaft 19 at the extreme top right-0f Fig; 1. i

The shaft 19 carries a bevel 2l'on the shaft 22 forming the liminary screen member4.

The shafts 23, 24 and'25 together with shaft 10 form the'supportrfor the moving conveyor composed of the'two side chains '26'carrying silking device comprising a the cross wires 27 and running on suitable sprockets on the respective shafts. The-shaft is mounted in adjustable bearings *so the:

this is then broken f the final screen receiving hopper drive shaft extending v up and'then pull them away by the frame members'l' gear 20 mesh-.-

ten'sion of the-chains maybe maintained at the desired working strain. To prevent ipp n of the wire conveyor central sup-. port members are'provided inthe: parts 28.. Located under the left endof thelower run 7 of the wire conveyor silking device is a cleanterialJt'o-be cleaned is dumped and is takenrotary screening member 4.

Directly under the wire, si lking conveyor are mounted final screening members 32 and 33, mounted on the rocker arms 34and given a component of vibratory and tossing movethe connections 36, best seen in Fig. 10. 1

merit by the eccentrics 35 .on the shaft 6, and.

the cleaned corn and delivers 'it't'othe next' treating mechanism. i

In order "to procure an of the corn falling from the screening memberg4 onto the wire silking conveyor 27 1 place deflecting plates 38; under thescreen 4 as shown in Figs. 6 and 1.

Wherever a screen is used" for cleaning cut cor'n and separating the small pleces of silk from the mass, the screen membersoon becomes be cleaned; hence it is desirable thatall screen members may be easily'removedJ i "The screens 32and 33.are;mounted ina even distribution up by a feed screw 31 and conveyed into the. r 7

Directly under the finishing screens is 16- cated" the discharge h pperf 37 which'receives.

more or less clogged'up and must frame and held in-posit'ionlby means of springs38." In order-to removethe'screens 32 and 33 it is only necessaryto lift the ends opposite the springs 38',-push them against the springs until the free end may be lifted from the frame and replace with clean ones. is so simple that the change maybe made without stopping the machine. Likewise the screen sectionsof the screen member 4 are assembled in. a manner for easy removal.

Thescreen sections are made up of frames such-as isshown in Fig. 3 and 4.; The opposite edges of the frame being made of chan- This operation nel-iron section material 39 and the skeleton frame --for holding these screen sections is Y made up ofspider arms40, seen best in Fig;

Fig. 1, and'the head 83nd indotted linesin member 41 and attendlng parts 1n Fig. 1, Fig. 8. shows the screen members '42 assembled 1n the frame edges restlngl nthe grooves provided for screen sections are heldvin operative position by means of a manually man pulatlve 45 shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1. By turnted lines in support with the channel.

12:- r spider member 44 held undertension againstj the ends of the screen sectlons by the spring according to the showing or the accompany-f 1 ingfdrawings but may varyfsomewhat if-a;

f different arrangement of-the inventive con: cept were employed. i i

r tlie. l1'opper: 3 where the v graduallyrinto the screening member lwhich i s constantly rotating, 1 and being mounted on an inclined axis the mass of material will 'g raduall-y -vfvorkjtoward the lowerend' of the, "SCIGQn-VInQIDb'BI; .The cobs and 'husks: that 1 cannot pass through the screen meshes will '7 1Th eperation ofltlle machine be O flcoiirse-the machine must bestonpe'd temp'orarily -when making this change, but this manner f construction makes {the change a j very simpleand quickly acfiolnplished, I

1 supported on the :rocker arms-.34c and are .givengmotion by the'eccentrics35: and rods 7 '36. This manner of mounting gives an up- Q pe atio 'n substantially as follows 7 when constructed {-Ther'nass of cut corn and accompanying pieces of cob, husks and-silk are dumped into; screw 31 moves .it

i v work along the screen and be 7 discharged at Y t is -lower {enddown the chute} 46 into gany 's"uital; lereceptacleor ontoaconveyor, neithen of which are shown. The corn, smaller pieces of husksand some of the pieces of, silk i will fall through the meshes of the screen sections 42 and some of the husks and silk y will be caughtby'thescreen sections 42,-so that the screen member 4-acts "as a prelim-i narycl'e'aniiig agent and removessome silk,

' nextcleaningelemenlythemoving wire con-- all the larger-(gobs fandhus'ksand permits a partially cleaned product to 7 fall 7 onto the veyor 27'; Asawi-ll be understood from the chain 'andspaced rather close together. to,

previous description this conveyor is made up oftwo chainsridl'ng onsultable sprockets Withfcross' wires attached 'irom chain to formelongate'd slots through which the corn,

.silkand husks will fall; The topldeck of p the conveyor will'catch and retain most of the silkand hu'sks, these small pieces wrap-V ping 'ov errthe Wires and suspending there-" from and being conveyed through the v several runs; until the cleaning brush is reached y when they 'will'be brushed from the'wires.

@5 i liof wires that are, constantlyjmoving each As the corn falls" through the severali -decks kernel will bump fromfwir'e to wire and'the' small silks'fa'dhering' and; accompanying the kernels 1 all gradually be entrapped by 4 the wires andjca'rried away to the cleaning brush. 5 In fact-the cleaningfaction ofthe: e movingconveyor is so thorough'and'elfec- V tive that very little silkor husk is caught. gtby the lower deck of wires,rso that the'p'rodi-i V. uct that is dropped onlthe final cleaning; Successive steps screens 32 and 38"is 'practically cleanand these: screens through itheir' component ofv movement "eii'ect aafinal cleaning that takes out the last residue of unde'sirable material the discharge. hopper 3 HThe screening members 32 and 'Issfare I given a vibratory as well as an angular tossing movement through v their mounting and driving.means.,.-The frame'members l7 are;

ward and forward movement to the frames,

theyi'movingthrougha pathr'epresented by{ I the dotted are 48, which vibrates them and gives? also a kind of tossing movement and" directions which gives a'very thorough, shakhelps very materially to dislodge any small at the same time moves them, in alternate "ing to the mass of corn falling thereon and g particles of" silk orihusk adhering' to the kerl, nelsthatwere not caught by the Wir'e'con-f veyor; zThese final screens 159.6111" to remove the last particlesof undesirablematerial'and produce a really clean product, TheIpecul-i iarfmove'mentgiven thegscreensV32'and33 I tosses the material about and brings'it again, and again into; contact with the screen fsur- V facesi'and jostlesleach kernel against its r r neighbor so that they are, all rubbed clean 7 1 1 I before theyiget through the meshes of the screens;.i A-ny cobs that may have escaped, the first screen memberg le and :drop-ped "through with the kernels are thrownfor-' a ward at each movementfof the screens 32and 33 and' arev gradually thrown-10E the lower 1 ends of the. screens since "it be noted that theyare given an incline in'their mount-'- ing, similar ton-,thescreen'member 4, and that the lower ends are}. open as is shown in' Q What'I- claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent ,is' T 1 1 A machine for, removing refuse matter from a mass of cute-green cornicomprising'ia I preliminary screeninglmeansj for; effecting .a frough separation of refuse,matter from a mass of corn. and dischargingithe corn so it: will fall vertically, comprising aseriesof parallel, arranged rods,', 1 7 means for supporting andxmoving saidrod's inirpermanentlyfspaced" relation through a plurality? of superposed paths wherein the rods'-m0ve in reverse direction each path, the rods thereby continually ;inj-, tercepting the falling corn ,andcollecting the;

thecorn and 120 a second separatingmeans residue of debris falling with moving it laterally away from the path of the falling corn with means along the path 4 iio in traversing;

of said movingrods forremoying the" col ,7

lected debris therefrom. r "2; machine fonremoving' dbris'from a V 7 mass of Cut? green cornv through a'fseries' of comprisingfa three stage op-f" eration, 'the'firsts'tage consisting of 'a-pre liminary screeningmeans *for .efit'ecting a Trough separation -ofthe dbris from; a mass iofcutigreen corn-and dischargingthe corn' so it will fallvertically, asecondstage con sisting of a series of parallel arrangedrods with means for-supporting and movingsaid rods through a plurality of? superposed in tercepting paths with said rods infpermanently spaced relationfsaid, rods passing through said falling cornjwhereby' the resij-i due of debris falling with said corn The; collected by said moving rodsiand 'c 'arried away laterally from the path of falling corn, with means along the-path of the 'movifi gl a mass of cut green corn comprising an end less separating conveyor device consisting of a plurality of small rods arranged in parallel relation and spacedin permanent relation, with means for supporting said rods and moving them through a series of superposed paths, the rods moving in reverse direction as they traverse successive paths whereby the said rods are constantly crossing each other as they move through said superposed paths, means for dropping a mass m of cut green corn and debris onto said rods which permit the corn to pass therebetween but which collect the dbris falling with said corn and move it laterally'away therefrom with means along the paths of the moving rods for removing the accumulated dbris so that the uppermost path of the moving rods always presents a cleaned surface to the fallcorn after passing through the paths of the said rods.

4:. An apparatus for removing the residue of silks from a mass of out green corn comprising means for discharging a mass of corn and adhering silks continuously so they will fall over a prescribed area, means intercept ing the falling material comprising an endless continuously moving device made up of a plurality of parallel arranged-rods permanently arranged in spaced relation, means supporting and moving said endless device through a plurality of superposed paths said device moving in reverse direction in each adjacent path, so that the said rods will continually intercept each other in vertical planes and thereby providing a separating 3. An apparatus for removing debris from that the top of rods 'will alwayspresent V afcleaned surface to themass' of fallingfma v ing corn, with means for collecting thesaid zone for the falling corn that causes each kernel thereof to contact with said rods in succession and have the accompanyingsilks collected by said rods and moved laterally away from the zone of separation, with means along the paths of the moving rods to remove the accumulated silks so that the top rim of ,ods willalways present a cleaned surface tolthe fallingcorn' y g j f '5. apparatus forremoving-silks from cut green, corn comprising means for discharging a{mass'of material so it wlll fall through a prescribed separating area, a plurality of parallel 'dispo'sed'rodsarranged y in permanentfspace'd relatio'mmeans for supportingandmoying said-rods through aplu ralityof, superposed paths the said rods movingr'nrreversej directions in adjacent paths; so u that they continually intercept each ether verticalfplanes and cause each ken nelfof corn andjnicce of silkfto'contact'with oileor mare rods inits passage throu hsaid separating zonewhereby the rods will *aecumulatethe silksand move them laterallyi from the separating zone with mean ajl'o ene, of saidpath s tofcontact with said rods "and remove the accumulated silks' so" ""tfAnapparatus for removing silks;

other debris from out green corn comprising an operative unit-includin g three separate stages of operation, the first stage compris: V in"-a rotary element intoiwhich material is" fed continuously, means associated with said rotary element toseparate the larger particles of debris from the corn and discharge it horizontally "therefrom, other means associated W'i'thsaid rotaryelement to'discharge thee t remand some of the smaller dbri's vertically, the second stage ofparalleldisposed-andpermanently spaced V rods, means for supporting and moving said was continuously andin reverse directionf as} th'ey" traverse successive" paths which: 7.

causes'saidrods to continually intercepterchj; Q 7

other and cause a constantly changing maze" of rods for the" falling materialfto pass; through whereby-each kernel of fallingvcorn: will contact with one or more of said rods" and any: silks adhering theretobecollected 50 by said rods and moved -1atem11 wa 1nom thesa'id zone-of separation, the thirdstage' comprising a reciprocating'element adapted; 7 toreceive the fallingcorn as itemerges "from V saidseparating zone including the moving 55 rodstandtto agitate the said falling corn and residue of silks adhering thereto and dis- 7 charge the corn vertically and discharge the adheringidbris laterally,-.with-a suitable receivingmeans for the finished product. i 15 2; 7.;An apparatus for removing silks and othen'dbrisyfrom a mass of cut greencorn or'the like comprising means for continuous. ly idistribut'ingcut corn; and debris: over a prescribed: area? spit. will fall in somewhat; B separated relation, a plurality oft parallel and permanently spaced-rodsfforminlga sepas rating,zone, means for supportingand mov-, 1ng ;said rods througha plurality of super posed pathsthe rods moving in reverse die H comprisingla plurality 5&0

I rection as "theyitraverse' suc'cessive paths therebycausingsaid rodsto continually inter cept each other in vertical planes; as they pass 7 7 bri sQto he jaccumulat-ed therebyla kld laterally away from} the T'separatingfzone; me ns al ngit low r? o a d' nt rsep s over the sea .pa hsf pp i y. m i g rods forming'a mazeof'continually'chang ng vertical fp aths \Vll l ch 'cause thie falling ma te paws? i ir m r ethe qumu tedflb is; from said rods andmeans' 'for thendireetmg;

thelsaidhleaned rods from jthejlowerfpath tel f 15t eiuppe i aihi eubs nfifllYP w dWP 5.,1'

diam;

I I iparatus enem s flk sfend other {debris from out green icorn compiising f;

, rcept -fithe rods in adjacent-paths so that there is ne dire ct 'vrtical path for the falling material and it is caused thereby to bump from rodit'o rod-thefsmall silks adhering to cleaned material."

- (HA O D- L IS-i7.

ofsmall r-ods disposed in parallel relation nd he fiene y ed; 7 Pa T r s chains gfonlsupporting and moving said'rods' through a series of superposed paths the rods" J movlng i'n reverse directiongas' they traverse successive pathsfciossi'shaftsjand sprockets i thereonjpositioned to support v said V chains jdirectthem through said-paths, the said chains eing arranged .S'b' that-the portiong moving, through the lowermost-path; is di :8 rectedjto theuppermost path, meansforide liveringa mass ofmaterial for. separation to saidrods and means below said mastered-1 il et nsfi a i l; Pa !.th r thr i :with-means .along the path ofsaid rods v e ovi v An apparatus for. emoving silks @and" fi ifi d risfrom cutgreencorn:comprising i aseparatingzone consisting of a plurality of j permanently spaced rods, ehains'fo'r support; e 1

:lngm dqmoving saidrods' in unisomish afts' and sprockets for supporting andgmoving;

said chains, saidl shafts being: arranged to move said chains through a series of super posed paths so that said ,rods, will continualdaai y intercept each other' inveflicaljplanesand; 1 V, therebyproduce a continually ch-angingima'ze g e 10. 'An'apparatus for vcleianing dloris from I i .cut greencorn comprising a series of permav4 y nently spaced rods, chainsfonsupporting;

so v I g I o d P t 1 ove the otherthe f removing the collected debris from the rods,-

with means below said rods for collecting the Cleaned-corn. 1 'o r moving -and holding said rods-inspaced re-j;'1 I lation, shafts and'sprockets for supporting and moving said chains, said shafts-arranged to @direct said chains through a plurality'fiof rodsmoving; reverse direction as they traverse successive paths, the movement of 7 his saidfichains i through said; reverse paths'causi the 'rods each path to constantly' iii-2, a a

thefkrnelsbeing collected by the said rods 7 l andi earri'edlaterallyjaway from the. falling n Vmaterial, fvvitli means fior collecting th-e 

